Whispers of Winds Beyond the Depths
by FragrantRose
Summary: This is the sequel to 'Winds cry when Bonds break'. The brawlers are friends and friends stick together no matter what happens,but when evil creeps over,they must make their choice carefully and a certain raven haired,topaz eyed teen has to make a sacrifice in order to save his friends...best friends...It's a race against time to defeat himself in the war of life...
1. Chapter 1

_**Hi and welcome folks! This is the sequel of 'Winds cry when Bonds break' and I'm impressed that my first story gained so much fame all over the world. :D *chuckles* So...go on and read. Readers,if you want Shun alive or dead,tell me in reviews or in private messages so that I can decide this fic's future plus it's ending. I've already received one suggestion so hurry up guys. Now then,where were we,of course,we were about to read this story so let's go people,what are we waiting for!**_

_**P.S: A very special thanks to kolopji for his/her support,being the first reviewer and first one to give a suggestion. Dearest kolopji,you'll have to wait for your review's reply coz I've no idea about your reply URL. It doesn't show it so whenever you PM me,please be patient for an answer,I'll make sure to answer via my fic's chapters!**_

_**Disclaimer:I don't,I wont,I can't,I'll never ever forever own bakugan,you got that?!**_

_**On with the story peeps!**_

_**Whispers of Winds beyond the Depths.**_

_**Chapter 1: A realization. **_

The night was dark,darker than usual. All the brawlers went to sleep. Dan helped Shun to walk and they went to their room too. Slowly,one by one,everyone fell asleep. The bakugans going to sleep in their own compartment.

Dan shifted to his side and faced the raven haired teen on the opposite bed,who was staring at the ceiling,lost in thoughts.

"Hey, Shun..."

"Hn..."

"Something wrong buddy?"

"Hm..."

"What is it?"

"Don't know."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Shun sighed in confusion, "I have no idea but I've got a feeling like I'm forgetting something."

"Forgetting what?"

"The thing I can't remember!"

"Oh..." Dan raced his mind here and there but couldn't find any thing that his friend could possibly forget, "What do you feel about it?"

"I..." Shun thought for a while, "I feel some sort of...emptiness inside me. Like a part of my soul is missing."

Dan couldn't figure out the source of this but he said, "Well,we'll figure it out tomorrow,right now we need to sleep."

The Ventus brawler closed his eyes tiredly,confused from the inside about all this. Both friends fell asleep.

…...

_Black...dark pitch black...was all he could see around him,he couldn't even see himself. He looked around in the depths of nothingness but found...nothing. Suddenly,he saw an orb of green light glowing dim far away. He began to run towards it. When he reached near,he found the orb changing shape. Slowly,it took the form of a...a...bird?...no...a...phoenix...which screeched with all its might. He gasped. The phoenix looked familiar. It looked at him with tearful eyes before speaking, "Shun...don't leave me like this...Shun..."_

_The pain filled call echoed beyond the depths. Shun's eyes widened, "Sky...Skyress?"_

_The phoenix nodded,speaking once more, "Please...Shun...you can't leave me alone...remember me...you can't lose your attribute...the winds are calling for you...they are howling...come...save me from being lost in darkness...Shun..."_

_Crystalline droplets began to fall in front of Shun from the phoenix's eyes. A bright light emitted,almost blinding and the phoenix began to disappear. Shun called to her,crying himself, "No...come back...Skyress...I'm coming...wait for me...Skyress..."_

_Darkness started to over whelm him,suffocating him to death. He tried to breathe but to no avail as he choked. All of a sudden,fear took over him,fear of being lost in nothingness,fear of being defeated by ecstasy,fear of death... He desperately tried to scream and nearly succeeded,as he was being shaken by strong gusts of swishing winds._

…...

Shun Kazami woke with a suppressed scream. He frantically looked around. A pair of strong hands were holding his shoulders tightly as a soothing voice tried to comfort him, "Shun...hey...it's okay...you're alright buddy...every thing's fine...listen to me...you're okay...look at me...come on...try to relax...take deep breathes...it's alright..."

He looked at the figure who was sitting on his bed,holding him by his shoulders,speaking softly, "Calm down...it was just a dream...you're alright...you're okay...I'm right here...you're not alone..."

The raven haired teen began to shake violently as realization hit him,how could he forget his guardian,his attribute...

Dan looked at him worriedly and instantly pulled him into his arms,trying to calm him down. Gradually,he relaxed,still feeling shaken by the nightmare's reality.

The Ventus brawler tried to speak, "Dan...she's...she's dieing..."

Dan looked at his friend, "Who?"

"Skyress..."

The Pyrus brawler was confused now but he tried to comfort his frightened friend, "No...she wont...We'll save her in time...I promise..."

He let go of Shun but still held his hand reassuringly. Shun looked up,finally getting a grip. He slowly told his concerned friend about his dream and voiced his fears in barely audible whispers. Dan comforted him to the best extent and assured him that they would do something about it next day.

He forced his best friend to lie down and sleep which seemed almost impossible for the teen as the nightmare haunted him whenever he closed his eyes. Dan stroked his hair and held his hand in his own to let him know that he was there. After a while,the Ventus brawler fell asleep and Dan sighed in relief,thinking about the event and plan for the next day.

…...

The sun emerged from the bowl of night,making the stars twinkle one last time and vanish. The brawlers woke as usual,ate breakfast with Dan and Keith forcing Shun to eat something and Mira going here and there,serving the rest. After all the commotion,Marucho went to his laboratories and others came in the lounge.

They discussed the last night's event,planning to rescue the phoenix bakugan from Wiseman's hands. They tracked the location which happened to be the volcano island. Now,they needed a perfect plan...

Shun occassionly tried to protest about it as he felt himself responsible for all this and had no intentions to drag the others in the mess but everyone told him that they were friends so they'll do it together. This annoyed the teen but he he managed to keep himself under control.

…...

Somewhere on a boulder,surrounded by lava,a certain some one's figure stood,laughing evilly at a balled bakugan in his hand. The bakugan was black instead of being hopeful green...

_**Yes yes...I know...It's short...but who cares...look on the bright side...it's one whole page long! ^_^ Always think positive! The glass of water is half filled..not half empty! Plus,it's my story so I have the my rights and full authority to decide it's chapter's length. Got a problem? No? Good! **_

_**This story might get some late updates as I'm extremely busy so bear with it,if not then...grrrrr! Got that? Yes? Right!**_

_**Read and review if you want this fic to continue and go on and please vote if you want Shun Kazami dead or alive in the end of this fic. His future is in your hands now so be careful...muahahahahahahahaha!**_

_**FragrantRose signing out! Bye...see you all in the next chapter dear readers!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Hi,I'm back. I know I'm a little late here but who cares as long as I'm appreciated, I don't care. I had free time now so I decided to please my awaiting readers plus reviewers. Not so much to say except that the next updates might be a bit slow coz my sister's wedding ceremony is on tenth of March so loads and tons of work to do as I have many responsibilities plus my annual exams are starting from nineteenth of March so... That doesn't mean I update a chapter per month so have faith in me! :)**_

_**Disclaimer:I don't own Bakugan.**_

_**Whispers of winds beyond the depths.**_

_**Chapter 2: Volcanic Island Infiltration.**_

After long sessions of discussions and arguments,the brawlers finally formed a plan to save Skyress. They decided to work together,using their each and every skill and ability to help. Marucho's lab durations increased,Dan began to sort out his ability cards,create new ones and practice,Mira took responsibility of every one's time so they wouldn't over-exert themselves,Keith and Shun's discussions prolonged as both of them created maps,tips,key points,groups and other ideas. They worked on these technical parts day and night. Whenever Shun got spare time,he always went to train or to meditate. So basically,things went roughly smooth!

Gradually,they progressed until the day came when they had to leave for the mission. According to the plan,Mira and Marucho had to stay behind but be prepared just in case, the others needed back up. As for the other three,they'll go to retrieve the phoenix bakugan. Shun had sent Skytress and Orbiam to the snake pit and they had notified them of the information that was required. Now all they needed was perfect timing and correct principles to follow. They were careful enough to keep every possibility in front of them but since it was Wiseman they were dealing with,it was extremely difficult and hard to predict his actions.

And then...the day came. Golden sun peeked at the building before hiding itself behind heavy clouds. The brawlers prepared to leave and Marucho started the systems as the spectrum colored portal opened to transport them to their destination. They silently bid good byes and good lucks. Mira hugged her brother on the verge of tears and then did the same to Dan and Shun. Marucho seemed a bit reluctant at first but then,he pushed it back away.

The three teens entered the portal and it closed. The remaining brawlers made a silent prayer in their hearts for the safety of their friends.

…...

The portal appeared,throwing the teens,it contained on the rocky ground before vanishing. Keith stood and helped Shun from under Dan's weight as the Pyrus brawler had fallen flatly over his best friend. They looked around. It was all barren and cracked. Far away,they could see an enormous dark volcano which was emitting a thin cloud of smoke and dust. The air seemed heavy with smoke.

Dan sighed, "It reminds me of doom dimension."

Keith looked at him, "Yeah,it's pretty much like that."

Shun was staring at the cloud of smoke which hovered above the dark,mysterious volcano. He was lost in thoughts. Dan waved in front of him in order to get the teen's attention.

"What?" Shun snapped.

Dan backed away, "Oh nothing...nothing."

"Let's go." Keith pushed both of them lightly.

The brawlers began to walk cautiously,alert of their surroundings. The whole place seemed to be staring at them from the shadows. Slowly,they finally reached the volcano. Now there was just one problem,Wiseman was present inside the fire mountain! They had to climb up and...inside!

Dan looked all the way up and gulped. Keith was frowning and Shun...well he had a determined look on his face. He turned when no one moved, "Well? Why have you stopped?"

Keith looked at him, "We are supposed to go...in there?"

"Exactly."

"Wiseman is inside this...?"

"Indeed."

"But how are we supposed to go all the way up and down?" Keith glanced at the calm teen interogatively.

"We'll climb."

"Are you serious?" Dan shook his head, "There's no way we can climb it all on our own."

Shun gave him a stern look, "Do you want to use Drago?"

Dan shook his head again. They had decided that it would be best if they stay on their feet instead of their bakugans as it was easy to spot an enormous bakugan other than a group of mere human being.

"Then,let's go."

"Hey hold on a second," Dan stopped him, "Listen,you're a ninja so obviously it has to be an easy task for you. But we...we are...normal humans!"

"Right...so you're trying to say that I'm not normal? Or not a human?"

"Hey...I didn't say so. What I mean is that..." Dan tried to protest.

Keith stepped forward looking at Shun and said in a firm voice, "You're going to help us,aren't you?"

Shun nodded with a slight smile.

When the argument settled,they moved again and finally reached the base of volcano.

"_What if the volcano erupts while we..."_ Dan shuddered at his thoughts and looked at his friends. Keith was telling Shun something in a low voice and the Ventus brawler had a kunai in his hand,which he was shifting in his long fingers,thinking something. After a couple of minutes,he exhaled deeply and held up the blade,aiming for a spot at the huge towering lava mountain in front of them.

Dan looked at the weapon,then at his friend and then,fixed his gaze on the volcano. Shun took the aim with a calculating gesture and threw the kunai. Keith's eyes widened a bit when the kunai hit the rocky wall,left a small mark and came to rest on the ground. The raven haired teen sighed,knowing the meaning of this.

"Well?" The Darkus brawler gave him a questioning look. "Now what?"

"Now...we climb!"

Dan took a step back. He wasn't afraid of heights or had a phobia or something but climbing a simple plain harmless mountain was much different then climbing a fire volcano which often shook with earth quakes and could erupt anytime. There was absolutely no way that the Pyrus brawler could do it all by himself.

Shun repeatedly hit the mark,carved on the rock by the kunai. After his third or fourth attempt,the blade finally stuck in the stone rather than reflecting back. He kept doing the same till there were a couple of kunais sticking in the volcanic rock going high up in a rough zig zag pattern. Shun gestured the others to follow and went by them. Keith followed silently,waiting to be told about it. Dan closed his eyes,thinking about _this. Unfortunately _he had no other choice but to follow his best friend's lead. They reached closer and the Ventus brawler cocked his head,viewing his handy work and tested it with a few jumps and flashes. When he was completely satisfied,he turned towards his friends,eyeing them.

"Okay,so now what are we doing?" Keith glanced at the teen and then at the blades embedded in the stone wall.

"Now..." Shun began to instruct and guide them, "Now we jump and climb. Place your feet here and then over there and move up like using stairs. That's easy so don't make faces Dan!" He looked at the brunette who was scowling.

"Fine by me...but you're gonna help if it becomes hard for us. After all,you're a ninja but we aren't."

Shun nodded at Keith's deal.

The Darkus brawler took a deep breathe and stepped over the closest and lowest kunai. He tested it's firmness and using the wall for support and left the ground beneath. It wasn't very difficult.

Shun turned to his friend, "Come on."

"W..,what?"

"Move."

"You go first."

"I said,move."

"I said,after you!"

"Dan Kuso,move!"

"Shun Kazami,you first!"

Shun rolled his eyes and proceeded towards the Pyrus brawler. Keith watched,quite amused as Shun pushed and dragged his friend and finally drew closer to the rocky wall,speaking clearly annoyed, "If you'll fall, being idiot enough to realize that after an hour, then unfortunately,I'll be the most unlucky person in this whole world to catch and help you back up! So quit whining and climb."

"Alright alright,geez! You sound pretty much like Runo! Fine,I'll jump but you're gonna help me,got that? Promise..." Dan straightened.

"Yeah yeah,trust me. You know I wont let you fall." Shun's tone turned to mocking but Dan ignored it.

"Okay,I trust you." With that he finally placed his foot on the nearest reachable kunai,Shun following suit,muttering, "Finally!"

So they set to move up in a sequence. Keith was on the top,Dan in the center and Shun in the last,occasionally helping or pushing Dan upwards silently.

Dan was getting good at this when all of a sudden,a rock he was holding for support cracked,breaking away. With a fearful blood-freezing scream he was being pulled down towards the depths of nothingness...

The other two froze in their tracks,shocked.

…...

Marucho and Mira were sitting in the laboratory by the portal and other machinery systems. Their bakugans were talking among themselves.

Mira sighed irritatedly, "It seems ages since they've gone."

Marucho nodded, "Yeah and we haven't received an emergency message or something yet."

"They're slow."

"Nah,not with Shun around. He wont let Dan eat or rest and waste time so we shouldn't worry."

"Perhaps."

…...

_**Oh yeah...dum dum dum dum dum! ding ding ding ding ding! Muahahahahahahahaha! it's a cliffhanger! ^_^**_

_**No need to be relieved coz I'm extremely unpredictable. Danial Kuso might not be my owned character but now,his life is completely at my mercy! Next chapter shouldn't be late than two days so stay tuned! I'll be waiting for your reviews,my dear readers. And people,vote for Shun's life as well. No need to vote for Dan's coz I've sorted and planned it out already!**_

_**FragrantRose signing out! :)**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hey there dear readers! The author says Hello! So,how's it going? Nothing much to say except,read on the chapter and review peeps! :) plus a very hearty thankyou to kolopji for opinion,review and suggestion!**_

_**Disclaimer:I don't own bakugan.**_

_**Whispers of Winds Beyond the Depths.**_

_**Chapter 3: Dangers await in the Shadows.**_

_Dan was getting good at this when all of a sudden,a rock he was holding for support cracked,breaking away. With a fearful blood-freezing scream he was being pulled down towards the depths of nothingness..._

_The other two froze in their tracks,shocked._

"Dan nooooo..." Shun had yelled.

Keith began to look down too,searching for any sight of the Pyrus brawler but unfortunatly,found no one but Shun who was gritting his teeth and looking down. The Darkus brawler's hands and legs began to shake and he gulped at the thought of brown haired brawler's end.

All of a sudden he heard a sound and glanced at the source which happened to be somewhere around Shun. He looked below and to his surprise,he was looking at an extremely panicked Dan hanging and squirming as the raven haired teen held his hand tightly. Basically,Dan was clutching Shun's wrist in a death grip but his eyes were closed and he was shouting and rambling,thinking he was still falling down all the way. Keith glanced at Shun,who seemed to be in some kind of pain.

He shouted, "Are you okay?"

Shun nodded a called to his friend who was going nuts about all this, "Dan...hey Dan...listen...you're not falling...I'm holding your hand...hey..."

But the Pyrus brawler had no intentions to listen for a moment as he continued his attempts to _save _himself from _dieing. _Shun sighed irritatedly and looked up at Keith for help. Keith yelled at Dan in response, "Hey...open your eyes...he's holding you...Dan Kuso...It's me...Keith...Shun's helping you...look..."

Finally,Dan opened one of his eyes and peered around, "I'm not...falling?!"

Keith mentally slapped him, "Yeah,stop being an idiot...Shun's got your back."

"Huh?" Dan looked up, "Oh Shun...I'm not falling...I'm not going to die!"

"I know." The Ventus brawler replied, somewhat annoyed.

"Well,what are you waiting for...pull me up!"

"Fine..." Shun slightly winced at the pain which shot in his hand and wrist as he attempted to help his friend.

"_It has to be sprained."_ That was all he could thought.

Keith started to descend carefully to help the both. Shun ignored the seering pain and continued to pull Dan up.

"Hold that kunai on your right..." Shun instructed only to receive a blunt answer, "I can't,I'll fall."

"No you wont,I'm holding your hand. I wont let go."

"What if you do?"

"Trust me."

Dan tried and tried and in sixth attempt,managed to grip the blade,Shun was pointing at. He pulled himself up,placing his foot on another kunai below and at last regained his balance. But the sudden incident had shocked as well as scared him a bit,so he decided,not to let go of his best friend,whose wrist was still present in his hand.

Shun looked at the brown haired teen as Keith came down too. He glanced at Dan, "Uh Dan...I think you can let go now."

Dan shook his head.

"What? Why not?"

"I'll fall again."

Keith was about to say something when Shun gestured him to stop. Dan was still under the shock of the recent event and thankfully,his best friend understood him. They continued to move,Dan still clutching Shun's sprained wrist and Shun helping him up as well,ignoring the sharp waves of pain,running through his hand and arm. He took a deep breathe to calm down and proceeded.

Finally,after what seemed like an eternity,the brawlers reached the top. It was a sort of circular cliff. They decided to take a small break there and Dan finally let go of Shun,who some what,unintentionally gripped his injured wrist,rubbing it absentmindedly. He was thinking something. Keith who was talking to Dan in a low voice looked at the raven haired teen, "Hey Shun,you okay?"

"Huh,oh yeah."

"Why are you clutching your wrist like that? Does it hurt?"

"Oh,it's nothing."

"Let me see."

Keith pried his hand away from the wrist,holding it in his hands gently to check. Shun winced which made Keith realize that something was wrong. Dan came closer too,concern and worry evident on his face as the Darkus brawler examined the wrist carefully.

He spoke after a couple of minutes, "I think it's sprained."

"I know that." Shun tried to pull his hand away but Keith's grip tightened,sending a wave of burning pain through his wrist and arm.

"Ouch,hey..."

"Sorry but stop pulling it away like that,you'll make it worse."

Dan glanced at his pale friend who was biting his lips somewhat nervously. He knew the reason,Shun hated it when it came to such injuries as it was extremely painful to fix them.

Keith exhaled deeply before looking up and speaking, "Okay,I think it needs a little bit of therapy. It might hurt a bit but here goes..."

Without giving the teen,a chance to speak,he bent the wrist at an angle and pressed a few spots to fix the joint back into place. The raven haired teen winced with another "Ouch..." but Keith didn't let go of the hand till it was treated.

"There...all done. Now all we need is a bandage."

"I'll do it." Dan offered, "Because this time,Shun is in so much pain that he can push you down in the volcano easily..."

"Alright." Keith agreed,not willing to be pushed all the way down.

Dan took the bandage and went for Shun's wrist. The Ventus brawler hesitated a bit but Dan knew that he was nervous. He took his hand in his own and began to remove his glove softly.

After a couple of minutes,the injured hand was cleanly wrapped in bandages with Shun panting heavily due to all the pain. Dan gave him a light pat on the shoulder, "Thanks for helping me down there buddy. I was sure,I'm gonna die."

"Never mind. That's what friends do. You know,I couldn't simply stand there and watch. Had to do something." Came the reply.

After a while they stood to go. Keith glanced down and then at the Ventus brawler, "So...now how are we supposed to go down...there?"

Shun seemed to be thinking hard. After a couple of minutes,he lifted his head and smirked, "Get ready."

He threw a thin string down,holding a claw like hook in his hand which was attached to the rope. He began to fix the hook in a nearby cracked rock which stuck to the ground firmly.

"That...It's so...thin...It'll break away by our weight. I don't want to fall all the way down again...come on...think of something else...smart guy..." "Dan refused receiving a death glare in reply.

"Okay...listen...Shun,this rope is like a weak thread. Isn't there something else in your ninja pack?"

"No..." Shun replied darkly, "Either you use this or...do something on your own accord. Not my problem. But trust me...if I'm using this rope,then that means it's safe to use."

"Isn't there any other way?"

"You don't have a choice." Shun rolled his eyes at Keith's question.

Dan sighed, "Okay then...Shun,I trust you buddy."

The raven haired teen nodded and turned towards the Darkus brawler, "Well?"

Keith looked around helplessly but found nothing else which could help them, "Alright...Fine...I trust you with my life too."

"Let's go."

So with Shun's guidance and constant instructions,they managed to climb the thin rope. To their surprise,the frail string didn't even snapped any part of it's fiber. After a while,they eased a bit,trusting the ninja teen and his rope. Finally,an eternity passed as they slowly reached closer to the ground. Shun was the first to jump down from about a few feet in the air. He balanced himself and looked around, it was a sort of dead end surrounded by lava on three sides and fourth side joined by a wall.

The other two reached the ground too and registered their surroundings.

"Hm...interesting..." Keith stated.

"What?" Dan looked at him in disbelief, "We're standing in the middle of lava and magma and all you say is interesting?!"

Shun ran a hand through his hair, "I think...we should move..."

Dan turned towards his best friend, "And where do you purpose we go?"

Shun shrugged,pacing around to take a better view. He scanned the wall.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"He's lost it." Keith replied the Pyrus brawler with boredom.

Shun ignored their voices and continued. After a couple of minutes,he smirked victoriously.

"What?" Dan saw him.

"This."

The ninja pointed at a part of rocky wall. Dan and Keith followed but saw nothing.

"What?" Keith repeated.

Raven haired teen sighed and pulled them closer, "This." He repeated.

"Oh..." Keith found out what Shun was motioning them to see but Dan still couldn't.

Finally after much difficulty,he spotted what was it all about. The Pyrus brawler became confused, "It's just a texture of rock."

Keith rolled his eyes and Shun shook his head, "It's not just a texture,Dan...It's a point to move this wall."

"No way..." Dan's voice had surprise.

Shun touched it cautiously instead of replying. He pressed it,tapped it,tried to push or pull it but to no avail.

"Maybe it's just your imagination Shun. Your thought might be wrong."

"No,I'm sure of it."

The raven haired teen closed his eyes for a brief moment,concentrating on his instincts. His reflexes began to take over him. His thoughts in mind started to flow freely. He forgot himself,he forgot everything around him,he forgot what he was doing or trying to do. Suddenly,as if in a trance,Shun raised his arm and touched a couple of more spaces in a special sequence. Keith was about to say something but Dan stopped him,whispering, "Don't,he's meditating to get a vision."

"A vision?" Keith became puzzled.

"Mm hm...He knows what he's doing. Shun can solve any problem like that."

So both of them began to watch as Shun proceeded. He touched and tapped certain points in an order,his eyes still closed. After some moments,the Ventus brawler finally opened his eyes. Taking a deep breathe,he collapsed,Dan quickly supported him before he could hit the ground with all his strength.

Dan helped him to sit, "He's exhausted."

Shun's eyes were closed and he was gasping. Keith knelt next to him.

Dan called the teen, "Shun...hey you okay?"

Shun opened his eyes and blinked,sitting upright, "W...what happened?"

"You..." Keith was about to answer when a sound interrupted him. They turned their heads only to find that the wall had...disappered.

"Whoa...where did it go?"

"Come on." Dan helped Shun up on his feet and they went for it,entering the gap and stepping in the mysterious world concealed behind it in the shadows where evil lurked.

After taking a few steps,a cold voice stopped them, "Long time no see...brawlers...I've been waiting for you..."

_**Well,that's for now. I'm extremely busy,day and night and I hope this update isn't very late. Enjoy people,read and review.**_

_**FragrantRose signing out! :)**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hi dear readers and reviewers,hope you were waiting for this chapter. I had been and still am extremely busy coz arts and craft plus music is my field and wedding ceremony requires my supervision and administration. I'll try my best to update soon but if I might not update for a week or four days,please just don't scare me or threaten to kill me coz I'll be more than busy bee those days! Now then,on with the fic! 8)**_

_**Disclaimer:I don't own bakugan.**_

_**Whispers of Winds Beyond the Depths.**_

_**Chapter 4:Showdown in the Volcano,I'm not alone.**_

The brawlers turned towards the source of that voice which happened to be a familiar figure,dressed in grey.

"Wiseman." Dan growled out his name.

"Indeed." Wiseman smirked darkly, "I was looking forward to your arrival brawlers,especially_...you,Shun_"

"Then you probably know why are we here." Keith took a step forward.

"Perhaps. I can guess." Came the reply.

Shun was standing alert,his senses sharp. They were standing on a small but high cliff like area,back side sealed by a rocky wall and lava present a few feet down. The front was open. Opposite them,at a distance,Wiseman stood on a high pillar like rock,leveled to the cliff. Around them was circular rock barrier as interior of the Volcanic mountain. The lava was moving and fiery glow was emitting from it,lighting the rocks around and showing silhouettes of those which were behind. Brawlers could almost feel the intensity of heat on their faces as fire shaded color touched their faces,giving a proper view of the three teens,each entirely different from the other.

"Okay,so spill it out. Where is Shun's Skyress?" Dan questioned,anger boiling inside him at the sight.

"Shun's Skyress?" Wiseman repeated with fake surprise, "I don't think so,not anymore."

"Huh?" Dan was about to say something but Wiseman pulled out something and stretched out his hand for them to see.

"Is this what you're talking about?" An evil grin was plastered on his face.

"No..." Their eyes widened and Shun gasped in shock,stepping back.

"Skyress...you...you...evil..." Dan couldn't complete his sentence as fury rose inside him.

"How could you?" Keith's voice shook with anger and disbelief.

Ventus Storm Skyress was black and silver now instead of being the hopeful green,it was once.

"Well...did you like it? After all it took me a whole day to make her mine forever." Wiseman laughed menacingly. The echo banged in Shun's mind and he lunged forward without giving it a second thought. He would've easily reached but Keith and Dan grabbed his arms back firmly,forcing the enraged teen to retreat.

"Shun...calm down...we'll save her...try to relax...I promise we'll get her back..." Dan tried to control him as he shook his head. The Ventus brawler lifted his head and his friends shuddered a bit as they saw his eyes. Amber topaz eyes showed so much emotions that they could never forget it,fear,hatred,pain,anger,sorrow,angst,disbelief,uncertainty and many more,they couldn't name.

"Give her back." Dan yelled.

"I didn't do all the hard work in vain,Danial. Why would I give _my _bakugan back?" Wiseman smirked evilly,enjoying the sight.

"Skyress..." Shun could feel crystalline drops on his long lashes,his voice was desperate, "Please return,don't leave me."

All of a sudden,anger and rage took over him and with a violent shake,he got out of the grip of both brawlers and the next moment, Wiseman's head turned to other side with the force of a furious hit. He stumbled back before regaining his balance,only to find a pair of fire reflecting mahogany eyes and onyx hair.

"Why you..." Wiseman couldn't complete his sentence as he blocked the next attack, "How dare you..."

Another solid kick answered him.

Dan and Keith looked worriedly. They couldn't do anything yet but to watch. Dan tried to throw Drago but Keith stopped him as there was no ground for the dragon bakugan to stand on. They just watched Shun,calling him,cheering him,awaring and alerting him,as the teen was locked in a combat with Wiseman. Their fighting skills were impressive.

After some time,Shun began to tire out. He was exhausting himself but nonetheless,kept his guard up. Wiseman blocked his every attack,though with some difficulty at the intensity of them and focused on defense,gaining the upper hand. The Ventus brawler was having a hard time standing up now. Dan looked at him worriedly,Keith was analyzing him sharply,as well.

"He's tired" Keith stated.

"We have to do something." Dan was biting his lip.

"No...not just yet. We have to wait."

"Are you serious..." Dan turned towards the Darkus brawler, "We must help him."

"Not yet Dan." Keith repeated, "If we interfere Shun might not be able to save Skyress,Wiseman can easily blackmail us."

A pained voice echoed and Dan looked at his best friend. The teen was holding his chest,gasping for breathe. A pained expression was crossing his face as he opened his eye to look around. Wiseman had kneed him with full strength. A thin streak of crimson made it's way down the corner of his mouth and he coughed. Wiseman couldn't miss the opportunity and aimed another kick but Shun blocked it on his arm before bending slightly and kicking him off balance. The combat raged on,more furious than ever now.

Shun was panting,bleeding scratches were visible over his exposed pale skin. Suddenly,Wiseman raised his hand,before calling,

"Darkus Storm Skyress,rise."

Shun's eyes widened drastically as the phoenix rose with a screech. He took a step back,pain seemed to double up in his chest,piercing his heart. His beloved Skyress was black and silver all over,her eyes were red. She seemed so evil and different that he couldn't take it anymore. He opened his mouth to say something but it seemed as if his voice was gone. No sound escaped him except for a shuddering breathe. He tried to understand the voices around him,which were telling him something but he couldn't make out the words. His mind was blank,void of everything but the phoenix before him.

"Shun..." Dan called out again but his friend showed no reaction,no sign. He seemed like a statue,not even blinking or moving,or even breathing. He was just standing there,a hand on his chest,where his heart was supposed to be.

"I think he's hurt." Dan stated worriedly.

"Not just heard,he's shocked." Keith replied,scanning the teen before him.

A single tear escaped the amber topaz orb as Shun collapsed on all fours,coughing blood. Dan and Keith immediately rushed towards him,not caring about anything. Before they could reach their friend,Skyress cried out loud and lunged forward to strike. Shun lifted his head and stared in her eyes,not moving an inch. The phoenix slowed down at the unexpected behavior and leaned forward,eying the teen. Every one stood still.

After a couple of minutes,Shun spoke in a desperate voice, "Skyress,it's me,Shun...your Shun...don't you remember me...you're my guardian...we stayed together...please Skyress...you can't forget me like that...we had a bond...a promise...Skyress..."

He couldn't say anymore as crystal drops began to touch the ground,evaporating into nothingness due to the heat of volcanic rocks. He lowered his head as more blood escaped his mouth,spilling on the rocky ground below.

Skyress seemed to be thinking before Wiseman pulled out an ability card, "Ability activate,Dark Elimination."

The phoenix screeched and attacked.

"Now Drago..."

Skyress's attack was blocked and countered by Pyrus Dragonoid. Dan rushed over to the fallen teen who was coughing desperately. Keith knelt beside him as Dan held him by his shoulders. His friend was gasping painfully.

Drago and Skyress continued as Darkus Hydranoid joined the battle.

Keith held one of Shun's hands in his own as he spat more blood. Dan was supporting him otherwise he would've collapsed on the ground completely. He tried to say something but a small blast in the battle field stopped him and he looked in the direction frantically searching for his guardian phoenix among the smoke and dust. She appeared and the fight proceeded. Wiseman summoned his mechtogans as well.

The mechtogans fought and took drago and helios a few feet away. Skyress turned towards the brawlers.

Wiseman commanded to finish Dan first, "Ability activate,arrow of judgement."

The voice zoned the brawlers back into reality as the arrow aimed towards the Pyrus brawler whose feet seemed to stick to the ground for some reason. Same happened to Keith who yelled, "DAN...WATCH OUT..."

But it was too late. The arrow was too close,it couldn't be dodged. An explosion erupted,covering the brawlers in smoke.

When it cleared,they saw the most unexpected scene. Dan opened his eyes,hoping to see the arrow across himself but there was nothing. Keith cried out, "Shun..."

Dan averted his gaze to the front only to find...

The raven haired teen was standing in front of him,a ghost of smile gracing his face. His eyes filled with determination. An arrow was piercing his chest,stabbing right through the heart,coated in crimson.

"NO..." Wiseman yelled, "You fool...you've ruined everything..."

Shun took in a shuddering breathe and collapsed on the ground,Dan quickly and automatically catching him before he could hit the rocky area. He looked at him,horrified, "Shun...why...why did you...how could you...buddy..."

Words scrambled out of his mouth as Keith bent over the injured teen,looking at the wound carefully,his hands shaking with uncontrollable emotions.

"Shun...hold on buddy...you're gonna be okay..." Dan took his cold hand in his own as Shun coughed out blood in a desperate attempt to breathe. Dan looked over at Keith, "We have to pull that out."

"I know." Keith gritted his teeth.

He pushed back Shun's jacket and gently unzipped his shirt,revealing the bleeding wound. The moment he touched it,Shun gasped sharply. Dan rubbed his hand soothingly,trying to comfort the wounded teen.

"I know it hurts but I have to do this." Keith spoke softly before reaching out again and breaking the visible part of arrow. Gently but fastly,he pulled the blade out,earning a hiss out pain and a shuddering breathe.

"There...almost done." He assured. Dan handed him his handkerchief towel which he used to keep with him. Placing it on the wound,Keith began to apply pressure. Shun's breathing gained pace.

"Don't worry...hang on...you'll be fine...just a little more...keep breathing..." Dan comforted.

"Oh I don't think so..."

They lifted their heads,gazing at Wiseman instead of Ventus brawler,though Keith kept the cloth firmly on his chest.

"What do you mean?" Dan questioned.

"Simple. He wont make it..._alive_." Wiseman stated.

"Shut up."

"Oh really...for your information...the arrow was poisonous...deadly poisoned. He'll not survive...Shun Kazami will..._die_..." His evil laugh haunted the place.

"No...he...he wont..."

"Dan..." A quivering voice made him look down at the teen in his arms.

"Don't talk Shun. You're hurt." Keith tried to stop him but received a shake of head.

"I have to..."

The raven haired teen shifted his gaze towards his best friend once more, "Dan...I might not...be able to...make it..."

"No...don't say that." Dan looked at his best friend who was pale white now.

"If...I'm...gone...find me...in...the stars...keep...me...alive in...your...heart...I'll always...be there...for you...remember me...in your...memories...don't let...my sacrifice...go in vain...I want...to sleep somewhere...under the...shade of...a jade flower...tree...I'm...tired...of walking...on the...path of...life...somewhere...beyond the...deserts...the forests...the mountains...the oceans...deep in...the woods...some one...is waiting...for me...where winds...whisper...stories...I must...go...there..."

A lone tear escaped the mahogany eyes as he looked at the horrified brown haired teen. He wiped the tear gently, "No Shun...don't leave me yet...not now...you have to go on...you must live buddy." Dan was on the verge of tears.

"Farewell...Dan...thankyou...for...everything..."

Amber topaz eyes closed,a smile gracing the face of the now peaceful brawler,who was resting in his friend's arms,leaving all the worries behind. A screech echoed and Skyress exploded,a glowing green feather came to rest on the chest of the teen,who was sleeping for eternity now. Tear streaks marking on his pale white cheeks. Dan clutched his cold hand as the ground began to shake.

"The Volcano's about to erupt." Keith quickly called back the bakugans,both of them returning in ball form. Wiseman stood there,disbelief written on his face. This was...the end.

Taking a ride on Drago,the brawlers fled for the exit,Dan holding his best friend's still form close to his chest. They safely made it out the moment lava rose,swallowing the evil being present inside the volcano.

"We can still save him Dan...we've got to..." Keith took Shun's other hand in his own.

They somehow managed to get far from the fire emitting mountain and sent a signal back.

Marucho immediately opened the portal,allowing the three friends to return back. Not speaking a word,they broke off for the medical area of the building,leaving Mira and Marucho behind.

Dan lied the teen on the bed gently as Keith placed the oxygen mask over his face,trying to resurrect him. They continued their futile attempts but gradually,the spark of hope died down.

Mira was shedding tears,Marucho was tearful too. The world was falling apart. A thunder storm was raging outside.

Keith kept trying but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He looked above,meeting Dan's stare, "He wont come back...it's no use to try..."

"What are you saying...he was your best friend."'

"I know. I could always feel our bond and spirit but now...I feel...nothing." Dan began to cry, "He's gone."

"No..." Tears welled up in Keith's eyes as well,flowing down.

And outside,clouds thundered furiously as the sky began to cry...storm of darkness over whelming as the winds moaned over the loss of a precious friend...who now rested somewhere under the shade of jade flower tree peacefully,beyond the depths,leaving memories behind...

_***sigh* I can't believe I did this...killed one of my fav character. But I just did. Another fic ended. I'm a bit depressed after writing this,so nothing much to say,except read and review.**_

_**Until next time...**_


End file.
